Motor vehicle braking systems utilize various types of friction components, such as, for example, brake calipers and shoes, to slow and/or stop the vehicle by converting kinetic energy into heat energy (i.e., via friction). Brake calipers, for example, are components within a vehicle's disc-braking system that engage and disengage brake rotors to slow and/or stop the vehicle's motion. In a disc-braking system, for example, each wheel (i.e., tire) of the vehicle is attached to a metal disc, or rotor, that is configured to spin with the wheel. Each wheel also has a caliper that is configured to fit over the rotor like a clamp to position a brake pad on either side of the rotor. In this manner, the caliper may engage the rotor to create friction between the brake pads and the rotor to stop and/or slow the wheel.
If one of the calipers becomes stuck against the rotor (i.e., remains in an engaged position with the rotor), it may, however, cause various undesirable issues. For example, due to the constant friction forces between the stuck caliper (i.e., the brake pads of the caliper) and the rotor, the brake pads may wear out prematurely; the rotor, rim, and tire may overheat and produce a bad smell; and/or the vehicle may tend to pull to one side thereby requiring the driver to self-correct to make the vehicle go straight. It is, however, generally not easy for a driver to recognize a stuck brake caliper until the brake pads are worn excessively and require replacement.
It may, therefore, be advantageous for a vehicle to include a system that can detect a stuck brake friction component, such as, for example, a caliper, and notify the driver of the vehicle regarding the same. It may be further advantageous to provide a system that utilizes existing vehicle sensors to detect stuck brake friction components.